A Passing Memory
by Asher Elric
Summary: When out shopping with his Aunt and Cousin, Harry finds himself lost. can a passing memeory help him get back home?


A/N – I am sort of stuck on **Harry Potter and the Price of Love** and so to get me out of that stink, I am just doing this short drabble. I hope you like it, I would LOVE to have reviews on this!

Summary – While out shopping with his aunt, little Harry Potter finds himself lost. Can a passing memory help him?

Disclaimer – I do not own! So don't even think about suing me! LOL

_**A Passing Memory**_

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_Ministry of Magic Werewolf Act_

_1979_

No Werewolf, male or female, may have children – the threat of contagion is not to be ignored. Procreation is illegal.

_Minister of Magic Fudge_

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_Article 5 of the illegal Procreation of Werewolves_

_1984_

No Werewolf is too have children, look over children nor adopt children through the magical community. Any Werewolf caught will be terminated.

_Delores Umbridge, Minister of Magic assistant_

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"Harry! Hurry up! I have shopping to do and I won't have to drag you're feet!" Petunia Dursley glared at her nephew. Six year old Harry pushed his overly tapped glasses up his nose and looked up at his Aunt.

"Yes Aunt Petunia," Harry muttered though he didn't think that he was actually the one dragging his feet. Dudley was up stairs still on his play station. Harry rolled up the sleeves of his sweat shirt and rocked back and forth on the balls of his feet.

"Oh, Dudder's! we need to go now," Mrs. Dursley called up from the foyer. In moments, the older boy ran down the stairs, stomping on each one before he got to the bottom. Harry winced but otherwise didn't call attention to himself.

"Can we get that yellow jacket we saw last week?" Dudley asked.

"Sure Pookums, anything for my little Dudley," Mrs. Dursley smiled and pinched the boy's cheek. Dudley smirked happily at Harry who pretended to not notice it. After Dudley had his blue coat on (which wasn't older than a week at the most) Mrs. Dursley herded both boys to the car. She made sure that she had her pocket book before starting up the car and driving off to London.

Harry looked out of the back passenger seat – he was glad to be coming, Mr. Dursley was at work on this bright Monday, usually he would have been packed off to see Mrs. Figg for the day, but she had company and could not take the seven year old on such short notice.

"Harry, while we are shopping you are to be on you're best behavior or you will be punished till school starts," Mrs. Dursley explained to the young boy. Harry knew that School would be starting in two weeks, he meekly nodded his head. Mrs. Dursley was happy with his complete understanding of the trip and happily pointed out a flock of birds to her son.

In no time at all (at least that was the passage of time to Dudley and Harry) they were in London. Both boy's had been in London only a handful of times, Dudley looked forward to these trips with his parents, knowing that they would get him anything that he wanted. Harry could only ever count the number of times that he had been in London on one hand, and that had been precisely twice before this trip.

Mrs. Dursley parked the car, she got out and motioned for the boys to do the same – she paid the parking meter that she parked in front of – she would have at least three hours before she had to come back and either pay more shillings or drive home.

"Mum! Look at that!" Dudley pointed at a window of the store front, and there it was! The most beautiful jacket that anyone had ever seen! It was a bright yellow with black trip, it looked to be made of a soft fabric and had a price tag as big as England itself!

Mrs. Dursley took the hand of her Dudders and led him inside, obviously expecting Harry to follow, of course, he did as not to make her mad and also, so that he would be sent to the cupboard when they got home.

Inside, the store was huge! There were racks and racks of clothes, shelves of shoes and other accessories. Dudley laughed manically as he ran to the shelf of breakables. Mrs. Dursley of course knew the trouble her Dudley could get into and so followed him to make sure that he didn't break anything accidentally. Harry followed behind some but stayed out of the way. He didn't want to be yelled at.

"I want to try it on!" Dudley yelled, making several other patrons cringe at the noise. One mother clicked her tongue and shook her head; she couldn't believe the brat the horse-faced woman had dragged into the store! Now, the black haired child didn't make a sound and he didn't touch anything, he was interested, of course, but obviously someone had taught the child to not touch anything breakable, unlike the fat child.

Mrs. Dursley ignored the older woman who patronized her motherly ways, and in so doing, took the most expensive yellow coat (in her son's size) and had him try it on. It fit, and Dudley LOVED it! Finally, Mrs. Dursley agreed to buy it for her son. She also bought four pairs of pants, three dress shirts and a red bow tie.

"My, my, you're son must be growing pretty quickly," the clerk at the counter smiled. She was an older woman who favored a deep red.

"Yes, my Dudder's will be starting school in two weeks and he must have a reasonable wardrobe," Mrs. Dursley smiled.

"Ah, I used to be a teacher myself, children are adorable aren't they?" the woman asked, she looked at the small raven haired child who's head was bowed.

"Indeed," Mrs. Dursley forced her smile. She took her packages and she herded the boys out before her. After they were outside of the store, she handed the packages to Harry who obediently carried them.

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Remus Lupin was in London in order to get himself some new robes – he had been fired from another job because his employer had found out about his "furry little problem". He was sure that the gods hated him because he could never keep a job for more than a month! He was even lucky to get his last paycheck!

It had been a hard full moon that took place just two days ago, and even though he felt rather sick, he knew that he needed to get a new robe sooner or later. He decided to apparate outside London and walk to the Leaky Cauldron from there. It was only by chance that he was passing by muggle clothing stores when he saw the little raven haired boy, stumbling after a horse-like woman and a fat pig which looked as if it had been dressed up and had a wig on.

Lupin passed the trio and looked back, was it just him or had he seen a scar of some sort on the child's forehead? He shook his head and firmly told himself that it was simply impossible for him to accidentally pass by Harry Potter, his best mates son who had defeated Voldemort at the age of one years old.

And with that thought firmly in place, the Marauder continued on his way to the Leaky Cauldron.

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Harry didn't know how long he had been walking, nor did he know when he would be able to stop but he wished he could sit down right then and there. He was tired and he was hungry. He was carrying too many packages and many passer-by's wondered why it was only that particular little boy carrying the packages and not the older and more fatter one? But they shrugged to each other and went on their way.

Harry sighed quietly as they went into another store, Dudley quickly found something that he particularly liked and ran over to it, Mrs. Dursley followed him -- which left Harry to put the packages down on a chair and collapse next to the heap. He just sat there, not bothering to look up when Mrs. Dursley and Dudley had finally picked out school outfit, and neither did he look up when his Aunt and Cousin left the store.

It was only when Harry was being shaken awake that he noticed where he was and what he had done.

"Hey there, are you all right?" the clerk asked, she was a young woman with bubble gum pink hair.

"I…lost Aunt Petunia," Harry replied quietly.

"Who? Oh dear…" the woman said, she out her hand to her mouth and muttered something that Harry knew was a bad thing to say. She stood and looked about the store – She then turned back to Harry.

"You stay here, I will go get someone to help us get you back home," she said and she hurried off. Harry watched the pink haired woman go to the back room of the store, and then he stood up. He looked out the windows of the shop and tried to spot his Aunt.

He couldn't see very well and so he gathered up the packages and stepped outside. It was cold out, and he shivered, his sweatshirt wasn't very warm since it had holes in it from every day wear and tear. He looked about and was going to go back inside and ask the pink haired woman to help him look when he bumped into someone.

The person (who was indeed much taller than him) gasped painfully before recovering, at least a little bit. Harry looked up at a man with blue eyes and slightly gray hair. His clothes were also worn and he was carrying a package himself.

"I'm sorry, sir," Harry said, afraid that he would upset the man.

"Do not worry, Little One, what are you doing out here?" the man asked. Lupin was surprised, he wasn't easy to surprise and yet the little boy had gotten he better of the second to the last Marauder. The boy was indeed Harry Potter.

"I'm looking for my Aunt," Harry replied quietly.

"Oh? Maybe I can help," the man said.

"But, I'm not allowed to talk to strangers," Harry replied.

"My name is Remus Lupin, what is yours?"

"Harry Potter,"

Lupin noticed someone stop; he glared at the witch, who immediately went on her way. Lupin turned back to Harry with a small smile.

"It is very nice to meet you, now, let us see if we can't find you're Aunt," Lupin held out his hand and the little boy took it, then, Lupin led Harry back into the store where he had come from.

The pink haired woman shrieked and hurried up to them.

"I was so worried!" she said.

"Tonks, do you know what happened?" Lupin asked.

"No, I didn't even notice little Harry come in, all I know was that we got wind of Mrs. Dursley coming to London and we decided to keep an eye out, I never knew that she would bring Harry and to leave him here!" Tonks replied, obviously relieved to see Lupin. Harry didn't bother to figure out how she knew his name but he knew something weird was going on.

"Did you contact Dumbledore?" Lupin asked.

"Yes, he said to take Harry back to Privet Drive," Tonks replied.

"I'll do it," Lupin replied.

"Remus! You can't!"

"Why not?" Remus asked then he leaned closer to the woman.

"I haven't seen him since the Christmas before Voldemort did you-know-what, can you blame me for wanting to spend at least a bit of time with him before passing him off to those abnormal muggles?" Lupin asked.

"Remus…"

"Please, I would like to know that he is safe, and who else would he be safer with than with a Marauder?" Lupin asked, but it was more to himself that to Tonks, even Harry seemed a bit puzzled by this, he wondered where he had heard that word from before.

"All right, but if Dumbledore finds out…"

"I will take full responsibility, besides, I can't be a prefect all the time," Lupin shrugged.

"You're weird," Tonks shook her head. Lupin smiled and then turned to Harry.

"I'll take you home," He said.

"But, you don't know where I live," Harry said.

"It's number four, Lupin," Tonks laughed.

"Thank you, Nymphadora," Lupin replied with a smirk. He took Harry's hand and led him back out into the cold evening.

"Let us grab some dinner," Lupin smiled, of course, he said to himself, that they could not got to any wizard cafés, they would have to go to a muggle one. Not that Lupin minded, he hadn't been able to take Harry out often because of the Werewolf restriction laws. But Muggles didn't know that and as long as he said that he was on business for Dumbledore, than he was sure that he wouldn't be arrested. Besides, it was the perfect Marauder joke!

The two settled at an indoor café, Lupin ordered them both the soup of the day before settling back to look at the boy before him. Harry was small, he had broken glasses and his clothes were WAY too big for him. Lupin wished he could do something for the little boy, at least transfigure the clothes so that they would fit him properly, but his common sense won out, he didn't think that Dumbledore would want him to reveal to Harry just what the boy was, or was going to become.

Remus Lupin desperately wanted to protect the boy from that fate – why couldn't they had stayed best friends? Why did James and Lily have to die? Why did Sirius betray them anyway? And where was Peter anyway? It really didn't make much sense, the story that he had gotten, but what ever did?

Soon, their meal came and they ate in silence – Harry took this time to look at the man before him. Remus Lupin was nice, Harry knew that right when they met, the man was also a bit like himself, Harry reflected. Lupin wore clothing that had patches and so did Harry, the man was sober, but at least he smiled a little. Harry wondered if he should have been scared of the him, there was just something about the man that…

"Moony…"

"What?" Lupin looked up quickly, had Harry remembered him? Did he remember his Uncle Moony who would read to him from children's Quidditch books? Did he remember the man who cleaned up after Uncle Padfoot and his won father? Did he remember the man who had magicked Harry a glowing ball to turn colors when the toddler's feelings changed on a whim?

"Sorry," Harry said quietly and went back to eating, he wasn't supposed to get dinner for a week but he didn't want to tell this man that, there was something lurking beneath the surface that was just begging to be let out.

"It's all right, Pronglet," Lupin replied, then he mentally smacked himself for that last part, he wasn't supposed to let Harry know who he was! Harry, however, hadn't noticed.

It was all too soon for Lupin when he paid the bill and took Harry by the hand and led him out, they would take a muggle taxi to Little Whining, Surry, it was all for the better, Lupin decided, that he would not jeopardize whatever plan Dumbledore had obviously put a lot of thought into.

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**DIIIIIINNNNNNGGGGG DDDDOOOONNNNNNGGGGG…**the door bell range just as Mr. Dursley was sitting down to his evening cup of tea. He looked about for Harry, but the boy wasn't around, where was the little slave when you needed him anyway? Mr. Dursley asked himself, yet, he went to the door.

What he found wasn't what he had expected, but the man looked rather normal.

"Hello, I am Remus Lupin and I believe that you're wife lost this…" Lupin introduced himself and then moved so that Harry could be seen. The boy had a death grip on the packages.

"Oh, oh yes, we called the constables, but they couldn't find the boy…"

"Don't lie to me," Lupin said slowly.

"Are you calling me a liar?" Mr. Dursley asked angrily.

"Harry, why don't you take those to you're Aunt," Lupin said, Harry slid past his Uncle and made his way to the kitchen.

Lupin watched Harry go before getting right into Mr. Dursley's personal space, his once warm eyes going cold as a anger he had been keeping at bay all afternoon emerged.

"Now see here, Dursley, I don't like you, and I know that you don't like me – however, if I ever see that Harry has been abandoned, or lost again, I will not hesitate to hex you till you're dead, do I make myself clear?" Lupin said in a cold voice. Mr. Dursley could only nod his head.

"Have a nice evening then," and with a Pop, Lupin was gone. Mr. Dursley shut the door and went back to the den; he didn't speak to Harry for the rest of the evening.

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"I do wish that you had let Tonks take Harry back to his home," Dumbledore said with a sigh. Lupin sat before the Head Master, a tea cup in his hands, the beverage was simply growing cold.

"I – I couldn't, I hadn't seen him for a very long time, and the opportunity came up and…he looks like James…but you can tell that Lily is a part of him all the same," Lupin sighed.

"Remus, my dear boy, please don't visit the muggles again, they wouldn't appreciate it," Dumbledore admonished.

"I won't, Dursley knows what I expect, however, if I ever find out anything that declares child negligence, I will go down there," Lupin said, his voice was not quite as cold as it had been when speaking to Vernon Dursley, but it was getting there.

"I will have to do something drastic with you if you even consider it," Dumbledore said.

"I understand, and I will take that chance if I have too. It isn't that I don't respect you, I do, but…I have to think of Harry, and of what James would want,"

And with that, Lupin stood. He left the office without another word, but both knew that Lupin was going straight home and would never be seen by the muggles of Privet Drive again.

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A/N – Well, there it is! What do you think? This won't be turned into a multi-chaptered fic, not at all. This is just a one shot to help me get rid of my writers block for my other story! LOL

Please review anyway!

Ta,

Poppy

P.S. Dudley is older than Hairy, which makes him eight here!


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